Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-07

t0OngQt OF sue dCtlVc career lust 10y Ue-
fore the soldier, while glancing at his
own Naval sword and gold-laced belt that
hung upon the wall-the sword he never
more would WELD.
1t was one of the first days OF August
now day that Lonsdale snd Melanie
would never forget.
The apples were ripening and reCden-
ing in many bee haunted orchard in
Essex; and also the hops-which there
grew to the height OF six feet at times
were turning black and clustering round
the slender poles; and the whest was vel
lowing up for the harvest.
When it was gathered in barn and
grauary, Montague would be far away
from England and her.
1t was with a heavy heart indeed that
Melanie Talbot made her way to their
accustomed place OF meeting, when, dur
ing the few days of his unexpected visit
! to Ravensoourne Hall. she had so often sat
with Lonsdsle, and talked over these pres
ent difficulties and dreamed over the tu-
ture.
This would be the last-slas!-the last
of these meetings. When and where
would the next be? thought the affection
ste girl. as she contemplated the empty
I
| Early though she was, Lonsdsle Was
there before ner, and in silence clasped
her to his breast; their emotion was TOO
CREST for words just then; and the caves
/ dropper Of yesterday was utterly forgot
| ten by him.
| "Melanie, love-" said he, after time,
! in low, csressing voice, 81 feel now, In
deed, how hard il is to depart, knowing
te what l leave you"
! And Melenie clung to him in silence,
faith growing In her heart, sorrow and
! Joy for space most strongly mingiing
there.
"And, oh, my darling, how shall live
without yoa?" said the girl, in voice
like g whisper.
soar engagement will be concealed
from 81 but your uncle, l know; thus
when am gone any fool will be st
liberty to address you"
"Other than tools may do so, and who
may cause me great trouble" replied
Melsnie, thinking of her chief bette nOir
Sir Brisco.
"Your aunt and uncle may worry you
cruelty, dear Melanie."
"Let them do their worst" said she,
with sicklQ smile through her tears,
drawing confidence from his caress, and
casting up her pretty head and slender
white neck; 'and their worst shall not
separate US"
she did not then see all their worst
could be.
At last they had to part. Eagerly snd
reverently he covered her face with
careSses-snd then came on
\ long, long kiss-a kiss of youth and love
Anu beauty, all concentrating ike rays
Into one focus, kindled from above,
Such si5ses as belong to early days.
All this is but the old, old story, and We
must hasten over It.
He held Meienie in his arms for tbs
last time-the last time Never till his
final hour would he forget-he thought
how they stood thus for painfully brief
space, her soft arms clinging to his mech
and her quiveyipg giTlish lips pressed tC
his as wildly and pgssionstely as mis- own
And then they parted and went their
way without word more.
So the supposed year Of separation was
beSunl
With Melenie sll the pent-up misery O
. the last :ew hours gave way on her re.
: turn, the fiood-gates OF sorrow buTs
} epeG; she lost all self-control for time
and IN the excess of her grief cared moth
ing for Whist Uncle Grimshaw nigh
think or write to Mrs. Chillington.
Meanwhile, being made OF sterner stuff
and smid changing scenes and faces
= Lonedale, after quitting the Hall and it
master in g species OF dream, as he tray
: eled downward, cigsr in mouth, in cor
ner of O smoking car, looked like en- ev
eryd.y man of the world, untouched By
thought or care; yet vanished form wa
ever before him.
7 Betimes he was in London. Midsum
mer was past, when, III such streets 8
Oxford street, and others like it, tn
roar OF vehicles, tie touting of '5us con
S ductors, the voices OF newsboys, the so.
: licttst!ons Of ugly flower girls, ard all tn
8 savagely unintellIgible and unmelodiCu
: street cries desden the senses Of hearing
t while the late sun, hidden by clouds an
j haze, renders the sir oppressive, sn
e makes one think Of brain strokes, NOR
e even than when it beats pitilessly dow
t On the white pavement, the glitterin
t shops, or the dust powdered snd drie
foliage of the parks and squares. In tn
t shadowless heat, amid which the might
concourse of human life rolls endlessl
j to and fro, the result Of overdone civiliza
t ton, and the greed and struggle for eX
+; istence it produces-amid all this rosrin
i vortex, could it be, that but en- hour or 6
e ago be had been with Melanie amid tn
S sweet sylvan solitude of Rlvensbourne
4; where there was no sounds but the hui
t of the bee in the wild honeysuckle, tn
y rustic Of the old oak leaves, and the 10
8 lop Of the softly flowing river amid II
:, tall, wavy ridges?
o The first further steps of his long, lon
o Journey were before him still, and ever
ing saw his clanking train stesming OF
L of the confusing and astounding static
!. ST Waterloo, faster at every moment owe
" the ugly sea of roots that chsracteri2
u the modern Babylon, sway from it's broi
J. ing streets and polluted river, away int
the green country, where the grass Ri
" pied pleasantly in the wind, and the So
= shone unshorn Of its rays, pouring i
a golden light on wide fields and gree
W hedge rows, on fsrmyards full Of hay, c
N dark coppices, on sheets of water, G
l, cottages smothered in flowers aud CREEP
" ers, and ell the charming color that goe
l. TO make up the sleepy and placid beau
of an English landscape.
On swept the train through Farnbo
- ough, when his soldiers eye quickly dt
- tected the Aldershot tents and the slope
-, -, that overlook the long valley; by Bssins
IL stoke, nestled in its fertile open country
= Salisbury, with it's slender spire and Il
~ plain; Yeovil, and sc forth.
in Night came down, the light darlene
RI from amber 70 crimson, from crimson
X gloom, snd under the rays of the silver